Abstract
This research work is based on the thesis contribution by proposing the goal-based hybrid filtering approach in e-learning recommender systems (eLearningRecSys). The proposed work has been used to analyze the personalized similarities between learner's profile preferences collaboratively. The proposed work consists of two hybridizations: the first hybridization has been made with content-based filtering and collaborative features to overcome the new-learners zero-rated profile recommendations issue; the second hybridization has been done with collaborative filtering and k-neighborhood scheme features to improve the average-learner's low-rated profile recommendations issue. Therefore, the proposed goal-based hybrid filtering approach that hybridized content-based filtering, collaborative filtering and k-neighborhood features simultaneously works on both types of learner's profiles recommendation issues in e-learning environments. The experiments in the proposed work are done using the famous “MovieLens” dataset, while the evaluation of experimental results has been performed with mean of precision 83.44% and mean of recall 85.22%, respectively. t-test result shows the probability difference value of 0.29 between the proposed hybrid approach and the evaluated literature work. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid recommender systems in e-learning scenarios.
The paper titled “E-Learning Recommender Systems Based on Goal-Based Hybrid Filtering” [1], published in International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, has been retracted as it was accepted for publication on the basis of peer review reports that were submitted from fraudulent reviewer accounts.
In late 2014, a number of publishers discovered widespread abuse of the peer review process, including cases of identity theft and faked review reports. In July 2015, Hindawi concluded an extensive investigation into peer review fraud and identified a number of articles that had been accepted on the basis of fraudulent peer review reports.
In accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), this article has been retracted on the basis that fraudulent review reports were submitted by one of the article's co-authors, Jason Jung.